Monday, May 16, 2011

Use of backchannels in the classroom

Did you see the May 12th NYT"s article "Students Speak Up in Class, Silently, Using Social Media"? Some professors/teachers are using real-time digital streams like to Twitter to encourage students to comment, pose questions and shed inhibitions about class participation. The argument against is that it is just another distraction.

Use of technology in education is constantly evolving. What do you think? Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

1 comment:

If you create a safe space in the classroom where people feel comfortable speaking, then you can get the same positive effects without resorting to using technology in a way that divides up the students attention between realtime in class instruction and online typing. But I think that its a decision each instructor has to make about their particular group of students and what works for their class.

The opinions expressed herein are solely the opinions of the individual authors. Users acknowledge that Hofstra does not pre-screen or regularly review posted content,but that it shall have the right to remove in its sole discretion any content that itconsiders to violate the bounds of civility or any Hofstra student codes of conduct.